Luggage bags which can be strapped to sport vehicles such as snowmobiles or motorcycles are well known. Likewise, it is know to provide a map pouch which can be strapped over the fuel tank of a sport vehicle in a position in front of the driver of the sport vehicle so that the driver can easily glance down at a map visibly displayed through the map pouch without the driver needing to twist his/her neck to the left or right.
Map pouches for sport vehicles typically have an envelope-like structure made of waterproof or water resistant material with an opening for inserting a map. At least a portion of the topside of the map pouch is made of a transparent material, e.g., transparent plastic sheet, which allows at least a portion of the map contained in the map pouch to be displayed. The map pouch typically includes a pair of straps which allow the map-pouch to be secured to the sport vehicle.
Tank bags for sport vehicles, such as motorcycles and snowmobiles, typically have a size and shape which is about the same as a typical backpack, and generally include at least a pair of straps for securing the tank bag on the upper surface of a snowmobile. A tank bag secured over the fuel tank of a sport vehicle allows the sport vehicle driver to easily store and retrieve items without leaving his/her seat.
Often sport vehicle drivers wish to have both easy access to items stored in a bag mounted over the fuel tank, and a map visibly displayed through a protective map pouch mounted over the fuel tank. Although it is possible to provide the sport vehicle with fastening means for separately securing both a tank bag and a map pouch over the fuel tank, with the map pouch stacked over the tank bag, this arrangement has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the straps of the map pouch would overlap the sides of the tank bag interfering with the tank bag closures (e.g., zippers) and make it difficult to store items within and retrieve items from the tank bag. Another disadvantage with securing a tank bag over the fuel tank of a sport vehicle and separately securing a map pouch to the vehicle with the map pouch disposed over the tank bag is that the map pouch may tend to slide forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the tank bag creating a sloppy appearance. This is especially a problem when items are added to and/or removed from the tank bag, because the thickness of tank bags which are typically made of a flexible fabric is dependent on what is contained in the tank bag. Thus, drivers of sport vehicles having a tank bag secured over the fuel tank and a map pouch separately secured to the vehicle with the map pouch disposed over the upper surface of the tank bag may find it necessary to release the map pouch from the vehicle to obtain access to the contents of the tank bag, and after adding items to or removing items from the tank bag, re-secure the map pouch to the vehicle and readjust the strap lengths to compensate for changes in the thickness of the tank bag caused by adding items to or removing items from the tank bag. It may also become necessary to readjust the straps on account of changes in the thickness of the tank bag caused by shifting of the contents within the tank bag, even when items have not been added to or removed from the tank bag.
One way of providing easy access to items stored in a tank bag mounted on the fuel tank of a sport vehicle, such as a motorcycle or a snowmobile, while also visably displaying a map through a protective map pouch disposed over the tank bag, would be to make the map pouch an integral part which is permanently fixed on the tank bag. However, this has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the map pouch cannot be secured to the sport vehicle by itself without the tank bag. Likewise, the tank bag cannot be secured to the sport vehicle by itself without the map pouch. This can be a disadvantage when the sport vehicle driver wishes to carry the map pouch with the map displayed and protected, but wishes to leave the tank bag secured to the sport vehicle.